BROOM-RAPES, BALANOPHORE.^, RAFFLESIACEiE. 193starting-point of that runner, perishes, and another tuber belonging to the net-workabove described, or rather the system of runners proceeding from it, becomes thebasis for the development of new inflorescences. To this extent we raay regardthese Helosis species as perennial plants, whereas the raajority of the otherBalanophoreae can lay no claim to this distinction, inasmuch as in their case thewhole plant dies after it has flowered and ripened its seeds. The floral spadices inHelosis have a purple or blood-red colour, and in Brazil are called "Espigo de sangue".Only three species of Helosis have been discovered up to the present time, andthose are distributed over equatorial America, in the Antilles, and frora Mexico toBrazil. Nearly allied to Helosis is the genus Corynaea, which reserables it in havingfacetted bract-scales like nails and a cone-Uke inflorescence, but differs entirely inother respects in its raode of growth, especially in being without runners. Fourspecies of this genus have been discovered in the Andes of South Araerica, in Peru,Ecuador, and New Granada, where they are parasitic, like the rest of the Balano¬phoreae, upon the roots of trees. One of thera, Corynaea Turdiei, is worthy ofnotice as living on the roots of Peruvian-bark trees, and is rendered conspicuous byits purple spadix, borne on a white shaft. Rhopalocnemis phalloides (see fig. 40^)is another root-parasite related to Helosis, and the single representative in Asia ofthese pre-eminently American groups. It is found preying upon the roots offig-trees, oaks, and various lianes, in mountainous parts of Java and the easternHimalayas, and is one of the biggest of all the Balanophoreae. The fleshy,yellowish or reddish-brown tuber-stock attains to the size of a raan's head; theinflorescences, which burst frora the protuberances of this lumpy mass and arefrom two to six in number, are over 30 cm. long and frora 4 to 6 cm. thick. Theprotuberances are Ught-brown in colour, and resemble in form a cycad-cone.Rhopalocnemis, a drawing of which is given in fig. 40 ^ on a scale of one-half thenatural size, is distinguished, like Corynaea, from Helosis by having no runnersissuing from the tuberous axes. The Lophophyteae are set apart as a further group of parasitic Balanophoreae,and differ from all the groups hitherto described in having their flowers arranged inseparate roundish capitula upon a fleshy rachis springing frora the tuberous-stock.They, again, belong to Central America, and are divided into three genera' (Lophophytum, Ombrophytum, and Lathrophytum) into particulars of which wecannot enter without exceeding our limits. Only the genus Lophophytum,, whichis in many respects different from other Balanophoreae, and in particular has beenmore thoroughly studied with reference to its pecuHar mode of connection with thehost-plant, demands special consideration. The Lophophytum mirabile (seefig. 41 ^) found in the priraeval forests of Brazil adhering to the roots of Mimoseae,to those of Inga-trees especially, occurs at some places in such profusion that areasof ground, occupied by Inga-roots, from twenty to thirty paces in circumferenceappear to be entirely overgrown by the parasite. Hundreds of tubers, some large,sorae small, rest upon the roots of the trees, covered by fallen leaves and a light VOL. I. 13